Flush-sluice concentrator.



W. H. MBRRITT.

PLUSH SLUIOE UONGENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1910.

978,468. Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN I-I. MERRITT, OF COPPER CENTER, DISTRICT OF ALASKA, ASSIGNOR TOVALDEZ CREEK CONSOLIDATED MINING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FLUSH-SLUICE CONCENTRA'IOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed March 14, 1910. Serial No. 549,179.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVARREN H. Mnunrr'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Copper Center, in Alaska, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Flush- Sluice Concentrators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing earthaway to expose minerals, and the object is to provide a device for usein controlling the How of water from a stream in connection with asuitable dam, whereby a body of water is stored up in a reservoir backof the dam and when the same has reached a predetermined level, saiddevice shall automatically open and allow water to flow through the damand when the body of water is lowered to a predetermined level, saiddevice shall automatically close to cause the water level in thereservoir to rise again, this opening and closing of the device takingplace automatically at suitable intervals.

The object is further to provide means whereby the amount of waterreleased with each opening of the device may be varied at will and tothis end I have provided adjustable means for limiting the movement ofthe gate of the device so that the same may be caused to remain open theproper length of time.

By the use of the device of my invention, earth, stones and evencomparatively large boulders may be washed away below the dam to exposethe minerals sought, the interval of time between each flushing beingsuflicient to allow the removal of the minerals exposed by the washingprocess.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of parts set forth in the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview of an apparatus embodying my invention showing the gate in closedposition. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus,partly broken away to save space, showing the gate in its open position.Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking towardthe left. Fig. 41 is a sectional view taken on line. 1- 1 of Fig. 1,looking toward the right. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken online 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. (3 is a detail sectional view taken on line6-43 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a plan showing a dam and reservoir with theapparatus in place in the dam. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line8-8 of Fig. 7.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawing.

In the drawing, 10 is a casing constituting a sluice box having a bottom11 and two side walls 12, between which there is a passage 13 extendinglongitudinally through the casing. Located in this passage is a gate 14:preferably inclined, as shown, and mounted on suitable pivots 15 toswing about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said passage,said axis being located between the upper and lower edges of said gateand preferably below its center.

Two abutments 16 are located in inclined position on opposite interiorsides of said casing, said abutments having, respectively, securedthereto strips of suitable packing material 17 which may be of leather,rubber or other suitable material, against which that portion of thegate 14 which is above its axis is adapted to contact when said gate isin its closed position, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 1, 5 and 6. This packingmaterial may be held in place by any suitable means such, for example,as two plates 18, respectively, secured to the abutments 1t).

Secured to that portion of the gate 14 which is below its axis, is asuitable flexible packing 17' extending along the sides of the loweredge of said gate and secured thereto by any suitable means such, forexample, as a plate 19. this packing being adapted to contact with theabutments 16 on sides and with the bottom 11 of the casing. All of thepacking strips just described serve to prevent leakage of water past thegate when the same is closed.

In order to limit the swinging movement of the gate so that its upperedge shall always be located above its axis and its lower edge below itsaxis, I provide suitable means such, for example, as a rod 20 mounted onsuitable supports 21 located on opposite sides of the casing 10, each ofsaid supports being preferably provided with a series of inclinednotches 22 located one above another, whereby said rod may be placed atdifferent heights so that the angle through which the gate 14: may swingmay be determined by the placing of said rod for a purpose which willappear hereinafter.

The apparatus is placed in the path of a suitable water course and asuitable dam 23 is built, thus forming a reservoir, whereby a body ofwater is stored up. hen this water has raised to a certain predeterminedlevel, that is, approximately at the top of the gate 14, said gate isautomatically opened by the pressure and flow of the water and movesinto the position shown in Fig. 2, thus allowing the water in thereservoir to flow both above and below said gate. This flowing of thewater continues until the level of the reservoir is lowered toapproximately the height of the axis of the gate, whereupon the wateracting upon that portion of the gate which is below its axis acts toreturn said gate to its original position where it will remain until thewater in the reservoir has again reached its former level when arecurrence of the foregoing operation will take place. In this way, alarge body of water is released at intervals and allowed to flush theland below the dam, thus washing away the earth, stones and evencomparatively large boulders, the amount of material washed away beingdetermined by the amount of water released.

For determining the amount of water which shall be released at eachoperation of the gate, the rod 20 is provided to limit the swingingmovement of the gate, it being evident that if the angular movement ofthe gate is slight, the amount of water discharged each time will beslight and the interval of time between the flushings will becorrespondingly slight.

By the use of the device, the earth and stones may be washed away belowthe dam to expose the minerals sought, the interval of time between eachflushing being utilized to remove the minerals so exposed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to secure is:

1. A device of the class described having, in combination, a casinghaving a passage extending therethrough, a gate disposed in inclinedposition in said passage and pivoted to swing about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said passage, said axis being located betweenthe top and bottom of said gate, inclined abutments for said gatelocated on opposite interior sides of said casing above and below saidaxis, packing material projecting laterally from said abutments andengaging the upper inclined face of said gate above its axis, andpacking material projecting laterally from said gate and engaging anupper inclined face of said abutment below said axis.

2. A device of the class described having,

in combination, a casing having a passage extending therethrough, a gatedisposed in inclined position in said passage and pivoted to swing abouta horizontal axis extending transversely of said passage, said axisbeing located between the top and bottom of said gate, and verticallyadjustable means to limit the swinging movement of said gate so that itsupper edge shall always be located above said axis and its lower edgebelow said axis.

3. A device of the class described having, in combination, a casinghaving a passage extending therethrough, a gate disposed in inclinedposition in said passage and pivoted to swing about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said passage, said axis being located betweenthe top and bottom of said gate, a rod extending transversely of andsupported upon opposite sides of said casing in position to be engagedby said gate in swinging from its normal position toward a horizontalplane, and a plurality of supports for said rod arranged at differentheights.

4. A device of the class described having, in combination, a casinghaving a passage extending therethrough, a gate disposed in inclinedposition in said passage and pivoted to swing about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said passage, said axis being located betweenthe top and bottom of said gate, inclined abutments for said gatelocated on opposite interior sides of said casing above and below saidaxis, packing material carried by the lower edge of said gate to engagethe bottom. of said casing, and packing material for the bottom surfaceof said gate and said abutments.

5. A device of the class described having, in combination, a casinghaving a passage extending therethrough, a gate disposed in inclinedposition in said passage and plvoted to swing about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said passage, said axis being located betweenthe top and bottom of said gate, inclined abutments for said gatelocated on opposite interior sides of said casing above and below saidaxis, sheet packing material projecting laterally from said abutmentsand engaging the upper inclined face of said gate above its axis, meansto at tach said material to said abutments, packing material projectinglaterally from said gate and engaging the bottom of said casing and theupper inc-lined face of said abutments below said axis, and means toattach the last-mentioned packing material to said gate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WVARREN H. MERRITT.

WVitnesses BEATRICE M. ROBERTS, LOUIS A. J ONES.

